Bags for produce such as apples, potatoes, onions, and other primarily vegetable products are often made from plastic sheeting, being formed, filled, and heat sealed with a variety of semi-automated processes. For example, a conventional form and fill machine for such bags is manufactured by the Affeldt Company of Germany and distributed by APM Inc. of Norcross, Ga. This machine provides a continuous line from which bags are formed out of plastic sheeting, and filled. They then may be cut and sealed by hand labor, to provide the separated bags, using, for example, a Ban Rite horizontal slitter made by the Packrite Company of Nicholson, Wis.
It would be desirable to apply to these systems some technique for attaching advertising, coupons, or other information to the bag other than printing on the face of the bag itself, without interfering with a fully automated manufacturing process for making and filling the bags.
By this invention, such a fully automated manufacturing process can be provided, while at the same time a so-called "header" can be provided to one end of the bag, typically the top in position of use, which header may contain a label if desired, or a brochure, coupons, or the like, which are separated from the bag contents.